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Tuesday, March 17, 2015

“Christmas At Draculas” Lovelorn Monster Show

There is something almost mystical about the emotion invited into a horror fan when gazing upon the iconic and timeless creations of society’s horror beginnings. Of course I speak of those statuesque, ever-present monster-men, Dracula, The Wolfman, The Invisible Man, The Mummy, those fear invoking monsters first brought to life in literature, then truly brought to life on the silver screen. Those were and are the definitive in all things horror. The movies still come on late night and Saturday movie channels, and a few programs complete with horror host still serve up a side of cheeky humor with these immortal creatures. Which brings me to “Christmas At Draculas”, a film that embodies that golden feel of classic horror, and the cheeky humor of modern satire.

I just recently checked out some more of that fabulous footage from “Christmas At Draculas”, the film is currently in post-production and getting ready for a small run in April at the University College Of Cork, Ireland for charity. The proceeds are for University Of St Vincent DePaul Society. There will be a wider release, but for Irish and fellow UK fans the film will be viewing for 4 nights starting April, 21st. I have to say that based on what I have seen so far of “Christmas At Draculas”, Simon McKeon, the movie’s writer/director, has created a masterful, lovelorn epic that blends the atmosphere of old Hollywood with a more contemporary exegesis on the very human experience of being a monster.

“Christmas At Draculas” stars Conor Dwane, Michael O Dowd, David Coon, John Browne, Lorraine Comisky, Art Kelleher, Jerry O Mullane, Noelle Clarke, Jonathan O Dwyer, Dave McGuire, Conor Slattery, Lochlainn McKenna and is told through the eyes of The Invisible Man. Count Dracula has hit rock bottom, so with the help of his noble companion Igor, he decides to throw the greatest Christmas party of all time. He invites to this - The Wolfman, Medusa, The Wicked Witch, Frankenstein, Dr Jekyll and The Invisible Man. But when two killers arrive at the door, things slowly begin to spiral out of control. And Dracula's faith lies in the hands of one creature...death himself!

“Christmas At Draculas” is a smart, musing story that peers into a moment in time where our beloved characters must deal with some very not so monstrous emotions and “life choices” while facing a new kind of creature of terror, the psycho killer. Told with a blend of drama and dark satire, McKeon taps into that “last call”, “last song” feeling that comes to us all and forces us to find new perspective. Okay the film isn’t quite as heady as I make it sound, but the emotion, and vision of that stage of life is very present in the footage that I have seen, but with a truly entertaining plot, iconic characters, and a doomed Christmas party! “Christmas At Draculas” is a film that I have been eager to see in its entirety, and one that I can’t wait to place in my collection.